Home / Producer Tips / How To Make Dubstep (UK/140) in 5 Simple Steps (2024)

How To Make Dubstep (UK/140) in 5 Simple Steps (2024)

Need to learn to make dubstep? Particularly that UK/140 vibe that’s so standard proper now?

Then you definately’ve come to the fitting place!

On this information, we’ll cowl the total manufacturing means of a deep, UK Dubstep monitor. Alongside the way in which, there can be loads of inventive choices to take issues in your individual route.

If you wish to comply with alongside, make certain to obtain the complete undertaking file and pattern pack without spending a dime proper right here 👇

Step 1: BPM and Construction

So the very first thing we’re going to do is ready the BPM to 140. That is the everyday BPM used for this model of UK Dubstep. Subsequent, let’s create a brand new MIDI monitor which we’re going to name “Construction”.

Right here, we’ll simply use some dummy clean MIDI clips to map out the construction of our monitor.

Constructing out the construction of our UK Dubstep monitor

Let’s go by eight bar increments as that is fairly commonplace in UK Dubstep:

intro (first 8 bars);
construct (8bars);
drop 1A (8 bars);
drop 1B (8 bars);
drop 1C (8 bars);

This can be sufficient to get us began. This construction is roughly constructed off of my expertise with totally different reference tracks on this model.

As soon as we’ve set that up, we will begin constructing our Dubstep drums 😈.

Need to take a look at this tutorial in video format? Head over to our YouTube channel 👇

Step 2: The right way to Make Dubstep Drums

We’re going to make use of some samples from our personal EDM Starter Equipment for the primary drums.

First let’s create a brand new audio monitor in Ableton Reside, and name it “Kick”. Chuck in “Kick 28”, which has a pleasant deep dubstep-y really feel to it. I simply discover it’s a bit too lengthy by way of the tail so I’m going to fade that out a bit:

We’ve received to consider the truth that in Dubstep, there’s quite a lot of sub-bass. So our kicks shouldn’t be too boomy.

Subsequent, we’re simply going to program a traditional two-step sample:

Now we will begin to herald some clap samples. In deep Dubstep, producers have a tendency to make use of claps and rim shot samples somewhat than large, chunky snares such as you may hear in Riddim or Brostep.

Let’s seize “Clap 7” from the EDM Starter Equipment. We’d layer just a few samples collectively right here to get a bit extra of a thicker sound.

A classic UK Dubstep drum pattern — *A traditional UK Dubstep drum sample*

What we would do is add a bit extra reverb to this clap. Let’s do that via a Ship channel.

Subsequent up, let’s add some EQ8 and take out a number of the lows. We’re additionally going so as to add this kind of snare sound from a Splice pack. It’s truly from a Lure pack but it surely has this good noisy high finish which I need to layer up with our predominant clap.

Let’s mix these two layers along with some EQ to take away pointless lows and resonances, and a little bit of reverb:

To make our lives simpler, I’m truly going to resample this into our personal clap. To do that:

flip off the reverb;
add a brand new audio monitor;
set the enter sort to “Resampling”;
arm the recording on the resampling channel;
press document.

Increase! We now have our very personal clap! We are able to now add again a few of that reverb from the Ship channel, and delete the two unique layers.

Hats, shakers, and percussion

We’ve received the muse of our beat, but it surely’s nonetheless sounding fairly empty. So let’s get some good hats and shakers.

UK Dubstep tends to have fairly rhythmic, “shuffle-y” drums somewhat than heavy-hitting drums. So let’s usher in a shaker loop.

I discovered this shaker loop on Splice which I actually like

What I need to do subsequent is add some shuffle to it. To do that, we’re going to use Ableton’s Groove Pools.

I settled on the “2 Step Suffled sixteenth” groove:

Adding groove to our shaker — *Including groove to our shaker*

That is going to present a very new really feel to our shakers:

We additionally need to add a extra refined, background journey cymbal right here:

Adding a ride cymbal — *Including a journey cymbal*

And naturally, some hi-hats to essentially lock in our beat:

Good 😍

Step 3: The right way to Make a Dubstep Bass (Sub and Mid)

Let’s transfer on to the bass now.

Let’s kick issues off with the sub-bass, and for this, I’m going to make use of Serum.

So let’s create a brand new MIDI monitor and name it Essential Sub. What I love to do at this stage is seize a primary sound in Serum and begin to program within the bass, despite the fact that the sound isn’t absolutely there but.

Right here’s the sound we will begin off with:

By the way in which, we’ll go for E minor for this track. That may give it a pleasant, deep feeling.

Right here are some things we will do subsequent to make this sound extra “dubsteppy”:

apply an MG Low 24 Filter;
apply LFO 1 (on “Dome” preset) to the cutoff of Filter A;
set LFO 1 charge to 1/8 dotted.

That is what it ought to sound like now:

Subsequent, let’s write a melody:

Let’s do some slight variation for the following 8 bars:

Creating a variation in our Dubstep sub bass pattern — *Making a variation in our Dubstep sub-bass sample*

Now that we now have our melody, we will begin dialing in a greater sound in Serum.

Let’s attempt some FM modulation:

activate oscillator B and set the extent to 0;
set the Oct to +2;
within the Warp menu of OSC A, choose FM (FROM B);
flip the Random to 0 on each oscillators to keep away from artifacts;

We’re additionally going so as to add some results inside Serum, together with Hyper Dimension, Distortion, and a Comb Filter:

Processing our sub bass inside of Serum — *Processing our sub bass inside Serum*

Lastly, in Ableton Reside I’m going so as to add some extra saturation, multiband compression in addition to sidechain compression (in order that the bass geese on every kick drum).

Right here’s what we’ve received now:

Lastly, one final step is to EQ our bass in order that:

it doesn’t conflict with our kick and clap
it comes via on smaller audio system

To realize this, we’re going to EQ round 100 to 300 Hz with some slender cuts. Then, within the 1k to 3k Hz vary, that is the place we hear the sound probably the most. So in case your bass just isn’t slicing via sufficient, attempt boosting this area.

EQ'ing our main bass — *EQ’ing our predominant bass*

Bass modulation

A key factor in UK Dubstep is to modulate your bass because the monitor strikes ahead. As a result of UK Dubstep tracks are normally fairly minimal, modulating your bass is a good way to maintain issues fascinating.

To modulate parameters inside Serum, an awesome approach is to make use of Macros.

Macros are the knobs on the left, beneath the “Mod” tab. Mainly, you’ll be able to assign any variety of parameters to a single Macro knob. Then, by turning that knob up or down, you’ll have an effect on all of the parameters linked to it.

For instance, you possibly can hyperlink the Detune of OSC A and the Cutoff frequency of Filter A to Macro 1:

Using a macro to modulate several parameters at once — *Utilizing a macro to modulate a number of parameters directly*

Now, I can management the quantity of Macro 1 with automation, and this may modulate each the Detune and Cutoff directly!

For our bass, listed here are just a few macros I’m going to create:

assign the cutoff of Filter A to Macro 1;
assign FM FROM B to Macro 2;
assign the Drive quantity of our distortion to Macro 3;
assign the Combine quantity of our distortion to Macro 3.

The rationale for assigning the combo quantity is that once we enhance the drive, the quantity additionally goes up. So we need to apply a “reverse” modulation to the combo quantity: when the drive goes up, the combo goes down. That means, we maintain the quantity roughly fixed.

As soon as that’s executed, we will begin creating automations in our monitor! 😊

Creating variation in our main bass — *Creating variation in our predominant bass*

Mid basses and fills

Now, let’s have a little bit of enjoyable with some bass fills 😈

One actually cool approach I love to do for mid-basses is to duplicate out the entire sub-bass, freeze it, and flatten it.

Then we will go nuts with post-processing and see what we get.

Rendering our sub so we can process it — *Rendering our sub so we will course of it*

We’re not going to make use of all this audio, however we’re simply going to make use of it as a supply for making sick, distorted results. Right here you’ll be able to seize your favourite distortion plugin (I’m going to make use of Rift). Listed below are some cool sounds I got here up with:

Subsequent, we need to fade in just a few sections. We don’t want this mid-bass to be enjoying continuous:

You are able to do this trick on any part of your monitor, but it surely works particularly properly on finish of phrases.

Step 4: Including an Intro Hook and Environment

For the intro, what I need to do is create a very separate, non-bass hook.

I don’t need to do one thing generic like an environment, however one thing a bit extra rhythmic and uneven.

So let’s create a brand new MIDI monitor referred to as “Hook”, discover a pattern we like a begin chopping it up and processing it. To be sincere, right here, there are not any onerous and quick guidelines. It’s all about making an attempt totally different sorts of processing, and seeing what you want and what suits the monitor.

Listed below are a number of the results I used for my intro hook:

And naturally, your commonplace EQ, and compression 🙂

Right here’s what I received ultimately with some hats and claps thrown in:

It’s also possible to attempt utilizing a vocal pattern and chop it up.

Subsequent up, let’s add some background sound. Often some good ambiance, like a cassette noise, can actually do the trick. This may give our monitor that old-school gritty feeling.

Let’s additionally add some spooky atmospheres:

Lastly, let’s add an upsweep and a sub-drop to guide into our build-up:

Adding effects leading into the build-up — *Including results main into the build-up*

Step 5: Making a Buildup

All proper! Now that we’ve executed our intro, let’s truly flip our consideration to the construct.

The very first thing we’re going to do right here is duplicate our kick monitor. We’re going to use it to construct up the power.

To do that, I’m merely going to place a kick on every beat, take away the highs with an EQ, and slowly convey the quantity up:

Building tension with a kick build — *Constructing stress with a kick-build*

It’s also possible to double the variety of kicks to create extra stress after 4 bars, then double it once more after 2 bars. We’re additionally going so as to add a number of the crashes, hats, and results used within the intro.

We additionally want some type of pre-drop vocal:

All we have to do now’s course of it with EQ, reverb and many others.

Fascinated by checking the remainder of this tutorial, together with a full mixdown and mastering? Head over to our YouTube channel 👇

That’s How To Make Dubstep! – REMOVE REDIRECT

Phew – for those who made it via all of that, nice job. You’ve simply made a complete dubstep monitor!

At this stage, you’re welcome to make whichever tweaks you prefer to make the track your individual. Or higher but, use this general framework to create your individual from scratch!

If you need to take your studying additional as a producer, make certain to enroll in our Free Masterclass which is able to assist you:

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